Joshua has been wanting to snowshoe Artist's Point for awhile. In the summer there is a parking lot right next to it which means hoards of people and no quiet place to stare off and really enjoy it. The weekend look like it was supposed to be clear and beautiful so we set the alarm for 4:30am, made the 3 hour drive and trekked into the giant mounds of perfect powdery snow. The sun was just finishing rising when we arrived and casting warm pinky hues behind the mountains.
I love snowshoeing because even just a few hundred feet in you feel like you were dropped into a wonderland, the trees droop in very Dr. Seussish shapes and some of the mountains look like cuddly snowpiles and some use the snow to expose their texture and rugged outlines.
It's only a 4 mile round trip hike but we were there early enough that we didn't run into many people. We got to spend some time alone wandering around the top. The quiet stillness you feel while making the first footprint in the snow surrounded by jutting mountains is one of my favorite feelings.
We tried to stop in the snow and eat some sandwiches and the birds found us and attempted some dive bombs. Then we headed down which always includes funny running attempts down hills. Snow shoes make you look like a duck.
Then we headed home, read some Harry Potter on the drive, and laid around on the couch all day because gosh darn it - we earned it.
Besides that we went out to drinks with some friends the night before, Joshua made me bike there and of course I ended up enjoying the ride. On Sunday we headed to downtown, grabbed some fancy biscuits with friends, explored the map store and later went to see a movie and had a late dinner with some other friends. Full weekend, very very fun and hoping this weekend will include at least one nap, minimum!
I've never been snow shoeing but it seems like fun! I love those pictures, especially the one of the sun just coming out from behind the mountain! Also, I never knew birds did that! I would have been scared!
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